Country observing historic March 7
The country is observing the historic March 7 today commemorating the landmark speech of Bangabandhu that was touted as indirect declaration of the country’s independence in 1971.
This year the observance of the day is more significant as the country is getting ready to celebrate the birth centenary of Father of the country Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on March 17, reports BSS.
The landmark fiery speech of Bangabandhu inspired the Bangalees to get ready for the War of Liberation.
The war began 18 days down the road, when the Pakistan Army launched “Procedure Searchlight” against unarmed Bangalee civilians, intellectuals, students, politicians, and armed personnel.
On October 30 in 2017, the UNESCO recognised the historic speech as part of the world’s documentary heritage.
It has been contained in the Recollection of the World International Register, a list of world’s important documentary heritage maintained by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
On March 7, Bangabandhu in his historic speech at a mammoth rally in the then ‘Competition Course Maidan’, nowadays Suhrawardy Udyan, in metropolis directed the freedom-loving Bangalees for waging a decisive struggle against the Pakistan occupation forces.
In the 19-minute extempore speech from 4.23 pm before millions of people of former East Pakistan, Bangabandhu in unequivocal term stated, “We spilled our blood…we will be ready to shed more blood, the people of the country will be freed, Inshallah!”
“Ebarer sangram amader muktir sangram, ebarer sangram swadhinatar sangram” (The struggle this time is for our emancipation, the struggle this time is for our independence), the great leader and the greatest Bangalee of all times went on to add.
During his deliberations amid thunderous slogans and applause, he also manufactured a fervent charm to the roaring people from almost all walks of lifestyle to take preparations designed for armed struggle against the tyranny, exploitation, subjugation and deprivation by Pakistani military junta with no matter what they possessed and transforming every residence into a fortress.
The persons were overwhelmed and imbued with the spirit of Bangabandhu’s unparalleled speech of independence regarded only as comparable to the Gettysburg Speech of slain US President Abraham Lincoln.
The complete nation responded spontaneously to Bangabandhu’s call with thunderous slogan “Bir Bangalee Astra Dharo, Bangladesh Swadhin Karo” (Brave Bangalees take up arms and free Bangladesh from occupation).
The vigorous speech inspired people of most walks of life to get ready for the war, which ultimately began following the Pakistani regime on March 25 introduced on the unarmed Bangalees the worst genocides in history for another nine months.
Bangabandhu’s March 7 speech has been selected as one of the most rousing and inspirational wartime speeches within the last 2,500 years. The powerful speech had evolved the course of the country’s history.
The tantalizing speech actually had a mesmerizing and sparkling influence on the entire population of this soil and they became united under his capable and farsighted leadership to bravely fight for liberating the motherland from the clutches of the Pakistani occupation forces.
Although persons from all walks of life irrespective of political and religious beliefs were united for the reason and started to take all out preparations for a bloody war, they waited till the crackdown of the Pakistani occupation forces on the sleeping Bangalees on the night of March 25, defamed as the “Procedure Searchlight”.
When the Pakistani occupation forces started genocide Bangabandhu declared independence of the motherland instructing the persons to put on strong level of resistance and fight against them till the liberation is achieved.
At the instruction of Bangabandhu, the brave nation fought successfully the nine-month-old war of liberation and eventually liberated Bangladesh from the clutches of the Pakistani occupation forces on December 16, 1971 with the assistance of the allied Indian forces.
Regarding to political analysts, the 7th March speech of Bangabandhu had not been only a demand the Bangalee nation to fight for flexibility, it was rather a direction for all nations.
To mark the day, numerous socio-cultural and political companies, student and specialist bodies have used elaborate programmes incorporating laying wreaths in the portrait of Bangabandhu and positioning discussions and rallies.
The ruling Awami League in addition has drawn up different programmes to see the day.
The party is hoisting nationwide and party flags atop the Bangabandhu Bhaban and party offices and put wreaths at Bangabandhu’s portrait on the Bangabandhu Bhaban premises at Dhanmondi each morning .
A conversation will be arranged at the Bangabandhu International Meeting Center (BICC) auditorium at 3.30pm .
Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina might chair the discussion even though party leaders and distinguished personalities can address it.
The Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television set along with private television set channels and radio stations are airing special programmes while countrywide dailies presented special supplementations marking the auspicious occasion.
